Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
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TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Group sizeUp to 8 travelers
Overview
Join your expert, local guide at Chinatown's Dragon Gate to explore two of San Francisco’s oldest and most culture-rich neighborhoods – Chinatown and North Beach (Little Italy). Hear unique stories that feature the rise of North America's oldest Chinatown in the Gold Rush, the ingenuity of Chinatown’s madams and struggles of its gang history, the Beatniks' free-lovism that challenged 1950s American ideals, and the controversial club where Carol Doda inspired the adult entertainment world on this casual walk around the neighborhood. See some of the famous local watering holes, art spaces, and places of great rebellion that still stand today. Only the adventurous – those who wanted to forge their own path and weren’t burdened by cultural norms – went west. This anything-goes spirit is the thing that shaped San Francisco, and we'll immerse ourselves in it on this ~1.5 mile mostly flat walk. This tour is ideal for those wanting more than typical tourist sights and has adult themes.
What's included
Expert local guide
Gratuities
What to expect
St. Mary's Park
15m
Learn the history of Chinese culture in San Francisco during the heart of the Gold Rush as well as the impact of the 1906 earthquake on Chinatown and the ingenuity that allowed them to survive and thrive.
Chinatown
15m
See the stunning architecture and artistic details of Chinatown’s Waverly Place while learning about SF’s first Chinese madam and seeing a neighborhood inspired and plagued by a long history of gang wars.
Sing Fat Co. building
15m
Experience the first buildings of east-meets-west architecture in California and learn how these came to stand under the shadow of the elite mansions on the hill.
City Lights Booksellers
15m
Visit infamous City Lights Booksellers; immersed in art, culture, and controversy as the original home of free-lovism and a public obscenity trial. Learn how the Beats movement challenged 1950s American ideals.
Vesuvio Cafe
15m
Experience this famous, art-filled San Francisco watering hole central to the Beatnik movement as it challenged 1950s American ideals with free-lovism and drug-encouraged enlightenment.
Jack Kerouac Alley
15m
Stand in the art-ladden Jack Kerouac Alley that today is still home to cutting edge performances. Hear the stories of how Kerouac inspired musicians of the 1960s. Experience the notorious watering holes like Vesuvio where Beats wrote and smoked and wrote and drank and wrote.
Meeting and pickup
Meeting point
Meet your guide (who will be wearing a bright pink hat) in front of the Dragon Gate at the corner of Grant Avenue and Bush Street.
End point
Additional information
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
